When I had a car I wasn’t one of those people who loved their car. And my car was certainly not an extension of my personality. But since I started biking, I’ve been looking for that perfect bike. One that’s like a best friend who completes your thoughts… and has two wheels.

The bike is classic looking and rides like a Django Reinhardt song. Somehow I find myself dressing in 1920’s inspired outfits (well, more than usual) and speeding around the left bank of Boston daydreaming it is a little more like a certain other left bank:

The bicycle is so lovely it seems to have a bit of a traffic calming effect.

And sometimes that creates a bit of a problem for an artist. Like when my bike kept me company at my recent open studio.

But, still, I wouldn’t be all that sad if more people fell in love with bikes.

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24 Responses to “Left Bank Bike”

Love it! I’m about to go through this as I’m heading down to Adeline Adeline and Rolling Orange Bikes in mid-June and I’m not coming back without my cadillac of bikes. Test driving the Work Cycle FR8, GR8 and Oma, Paper Bike, Azor Oma, Onderwater, Azor Long Trail and FietsFabriek.

Made my day — love the panel with Hemingway, Stein, et al hanging out with the modern cafe goers

My partner in Bike Friendly GR just left today for Europe with his girlfriend, so I’ll now have to ride the left bank of my little city while he rides the real one. I’ll take your positive outlook on riding the “wrong” left bank to heart!

In Paris, where all handlebars are level with the saddle, and most have baskets to carry wine, cheese and flowers. No one walks or rides alone there. The Velib bike-share is a wonderful way to see the city.

I’m looking for the same type of bike, one that lifts my spirits just by looking at her, one that will have me pining for rides along the waterfront, where I’ll need to tote a book and picnic lunch. I think many of us are looking for the same dream bike. Thanks for expressing that thought so nicely. Glad your bike is perfect for you.

Yay, I’m in love with my Soma Buena Vista too! She has a name (actually, a name *and* a nickname). And great drawings – I guessed it was a Buena Vista before I clicked on the link! And if the drawings are at all representative of the actual build, it looks very similar to my build – seeing these was almost like looking at a drawing of my own bicycle!

*Chuckles* Know the feeling. I’d gone to my dentist for a check, locked my bike to the rail of the coffeehouse next door. Came out and chatted for a half hour with a few people who had been admiring my much used LHT.

Sweet ride I have always like the lines of the Soma Buena Vista and the build you put together with “Lovely Bicycle” is just damn gorgeous- I would gawk but then I am pretty much a sucker for any kind of old school looking ride and I love split down tube mixtes.